Sioux City, Iowa (CNN) – Mitt Romney running mate Rep. Paul Ryan said the presidential race “is within our grasp” but pleaded with Iowa voters for their help during two rallies held 16 days before Election Day.

The Republican vice presidential nominee spoke before energetic crowds of nearly 800 people in Sioux City and a similar-sized crowd in Council Bluffs on Sunday, the same day a new national poll was released that shows the race for the White House in a dead heat.
“We need your help. Iowa you are so used to it. You are used to being the eye of the storm. You are used to seeing this. You have a responsibility and an opportunity and an obligation to help us get this country back on the right track so that we look back on this moment as when we reclaimed our freedoms, when we got our jobs back, when we got our economy growing,” Ryan said in Council Bluffs.

“This is within our grasp,” the Wisconsin lawmaker continued, “So Council Bluffs, Cornhuskers, Hawkeyes, and everybody in between, even my fellow Packers fan and Badgers fan, which I see a few of you in the audience - OK, maybe four.”

Both campaigns are making a push for the state’s six key electoral votes, which President Barack Obama won in 2008 with a sizable 10-point lead over his Republican opponent, Arizona Sen. John McCain.

Vice President Joe Biden paid a visit to Council Bluffs on October 4, which marked his sixth visit to the Hawkeye state. He made an impromptu stop at a Hy-Vee store and held a rally that had a smaller turnout than Ryan’s event outside the Bass Pro Shops, but it is an area that McCain won four years ago.

It was Ryan’s first time campaigning through western Iowa since he joined the Republican ticket on August 11 but he has made a number of trips to the state, including a bus tour across eastern Iowa, where his wife Janna’s family is from, in early October

CNN reported last week that, in Iowa, more than half of the 450,000 absentee ballots requested have been returned. Democrats lead the pack, requesting more than 200,000 ballots and returning almost 65% of those. Republicans requested almost 140,000 and returned just less than 60%. Ballots requested with no party affiliation or for other party affiliations total about 105,000 and 50% of those have been returned.

In Iowa on Sunday, Ryan did not specifically ask anyone to vote early, but in Sioux City the Republican vice presidential hopeful reminded them of the promises Obama made the last time around.

“You see, the man we heard four years ago offering hope and change is the very kind of candidate he was then criticizing. He has become what he criticized,” he said at the rally held at Bev’s restaurant overlooking the Missouri River.

He added, “All he's doing is basically talking about Mitt Romney. He's trying to distort Mitt Romney's record. He's trying to distract voters to try and win an election by default. We're not going to fall for that are we?”

soundoff(27 Responses)

Larry in Houston

800 ? only around 800 ? LOL – WoW !! well mr. ryan here's the deal : If you guys win – the voters will remember you two , in 2016 – and see if you really meant and stood up to what you guys are saying, not to mention the fact that you Both are constantly changing your stories, and constantly changing to the tune of the crowd you are talking to. At least Obama's not changed – I mean, he's left of left, okay ? But he doesn't change to the crowd he's talking to. LOL – – I guess what I'm saying is the fact that you guys need to stick to the same story, all of the time, not just part of the time.

If You guys win – and You two put us middle class people in such a Vise, like Reagan and BOTH of the Bushes Did, You guys will end up being one termers. I mean, you guys keep saying that you will take care of the middle class, but do you really mean it ?? ( I highly doubt it, in my opinion)

May the Best Man Win – 2012
Hillary – 2016 ( with a 'surplus' in – 2018 )

October 21, 2012 09:48 pm at 9:48 pm |

REDFIRESTORM

kudos to CNN for leveling the foreign policy debate playing field

October 21, 2012 09:48 pm at 9:48 pm |

Reggie

He needs to beg because there is no way Romney/Ryan takes Iowa.

October 21, 2012 09:59 pm at 9:59 pm |

Squigman

Notice: The victory is for the party. There's no mention of victory for the people, just the party. It's amazing how the simple use of the English language can uncover the true intent of people. All you have to do is allow them the opportunity to speak, and be willing to actually listen. Their victory, will not better the lot of the common man,

Nobody could distort mitts record... He changes it so often you don't know what HE believes anymore... Not only is he not fit to be POTUS, but I can guarantee that he will continue g w bushes work and send troops back to the Middle East to fight Iran and Syria...

October 21, 2012 10:20 pm at 10:20 pm |

S.B. Stein E.B. NJ

When someone has a bad idea, it should be pointed out. Romney's plan calls for less revenue and more spending of one kind and less than other.

October 21, 2012 10:31 pm at 10:31 pm |

Eugene9

"If we can only squeeze a few big lies into the last debate, and Bob Schieffer doesn't try to fact-check them...."

October 21, 2012 10:37 pm at 10:37 pm |

n

Lyon Ryan should talk to the man in the mirror.

October 21, 2012 10:44 pm at 10:44 pm |

shelbyanne

Ryan is obsessed with the president. Like Backmann every sentence he says starts out with "President Obama".

October 21, 2012 10:45 pm at 10:45 pm |

nina

i thought just 2 days ago obama was ahead in both iowa and wisconsing by 6 and 5 points respectively and now CNN says dead heat? Wow i guess the romney team is really confident, as they should be knowing they bought this election with the ownership of the voting machines through Solemere Capital owned by tagg romney in which mitt, anne and brother scott have invested in!
you know, tell the world the race is close so when they rig the voting machines, the world will not be so shocked

No Paul we are not going to fall for it, most Americans no better. We the people will vote for Romney/Ryan the next President and Vice President of the United States of America God Bless you guys and God Bless America!!!

October 21, 2012 11:01 pm at 11:01 pm |

Frank Selleck

Where can I send an email 2 Mitt......and Obama Bin .... Laden ?

October 21, 2012 11:06 pm at 11:06 pm |

PNWjim

Mr Ryan, you will take away womans rights, the economy is on a up swing and the job market is improving. Thanks Mr. President for bring us back from a drepression worst than the first since this one involed many more people.How can anyone gamble on changing this upword flow by electing R and R FROM THE R'S.

October 22, 2012 12:03 am at 12:03 am |

Thomas

America wants the New and Improved GW Bush .

Romney / Ryan

October 22, 2012 12:12 am at 12:12 am |

Thomas

GOD help us if Ryan-Romney win. In order to fund the renewed tax cuts to the financially hurting wealthy folks, the only way will be for the middle class in one way or another to take up the slack – either in lost Mortgage deduction, increased taxes, or whatever. RYAN-ROMNEY have to tend to the suffering wealthy!

Religion:At the top line of Romney's application to Heaven: "I made $20,000 for every job I took away from a working man."
At Ryan's death – "I want to be wherever the atheist Ayn Rand went!"

October 22, 2012 12:21 am at 12:21 am |

Donkey Party

"Get our freedoms back"? What the hell is he talking about? What freedom has he lost? The only freedoms that are going to be lost are a woman's right to chose what to do with her own health, and the GOP are hellbent on making that happen.

October 22, 2012 01:13 am at 1:13 am |

anonoymous

Who writes Paul Ryan's stomp speeches? I cant believe this stiff guy could energize any base. Goes to show the GOP is really dying if not dead.

October 22, 2012 02:15 am at 2:15 am |

Kee

Ryan please this country is not going back to war

October 22, 2012 02:49 am at 2:49 am |

the GOP is full of RETARDS

So says the man with no grasp of numbers whatsoever.

October 22, 2012 02:50 am at 2:50 am |

Cam Spurgeon

Cmon folks separate the truths from the lies. Google Romney voting machine investments. This wacko family is trying to buy,win, steal election!

October 22, 2012 03:20 am at 3:20 am |

Daystar

It is farther than you think ryan, people hate a person that lies and refuse to vote for them and that is you and rommey.

October 22, 2012 05:21 am at 5:21 am |

Marry

"You have a responsibility and an opportunity...!" Yes, you have!
A GOP Candidate (Romney!) is trying to rig the election and for the first time without even going through the trouble of disguise – tries to outright buy the Presidency. If he told you HIS plans (Bush x 10!) you would be outraged and nobody would even consider him. That is why Romney and his campaign have trouble keeping it strait what they tell YOU! If so many voters do not understand what is going on here, who they are dealing with, what is at stake, are not insulted by this process – it makes them state publicly, to the world, that they are unable or unwilling to be honest, smart, independent, civilized and willing to work making America a better place for all – just as the GOP has dumped 2009 the biggest mess in front of the President and refused for now 4 years (Ryan!!!) to help clean it up! THAT is the GOP for you!!!!!
(View the entire "Romney videos", it has a lot more of Romney's ideas in it than just the 47% that should interest you!)

Please, do yourself and us all a favor. Don't be fooled! Be smart, be responsible! Vote strait “D”!

October 22, 2012 05:25 am at 5:25 am |

A Kickin` Donkey

Obama is not naturally comfortable talking about business, economic or financial issues. That`s why he was unwilling to refute Romney`s lies so strongly in Debate I.

Romney has terrible debates when he gets rattled early. Romney can`t spell Iran if you spotted him the "I" "R", and the "A". the President needs to attack Romney personally. Tell him things like, "the American voters have seen that you are CONSISTENTLY WRONG Governor Romney. You`ve never been interested in foriegn affairs except for your secretive offshore bank account" in Switerland & the Caymans".

The Prez should also put a price tag on the past wars, the annual savings from ending them and how this money will be deployed domestically.

October 22, 2012 05:35 am at 5:35 am |

Marie MD

"within our grasp"
That kitchen hose you were GRASPING while pretending to clean already cleaned pans and not being there when it really counted to feed the homeless and pretending to care while serving them while holding your big nose? That kind of grasp? With not reality but hypocrisy?
You will burn in he11 altar boy.

October 22, 2012 06:27 am at 6:27 am |

John, PA

The presidential race is well beyond “within our grasp”; Romney is ahead in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin. Romney is pulling the swing voters in California his way; this is going to be a landslide win for Republicans and the Democrats don’t even see it.